1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of electrically connecting a tap line cable to a through cable such as connecting a home to the main power distribution line.
2. Prior Art
An early connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,642,492. The connector has two similar complementary members having hooked upper ends adapted to hook over the main horizontal conductor and depending body portions arranged to firmly grip and support the branch or tap line.
A later U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,199 disclosed an insulated connector to connect a tap line to a main conductor. This connector consists of three insulating blocks, two end blocks and one intermediate block. The intermediate block has a contact member embedded in it so that the grooved ends thereof are exposed on either side of the block. Exposed sections of the cables are biased in their respective grooved ends of the contact member by the end blocks. Bolts secure the three blocks together. The insulation must be removed beforehand.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,951,892 a multiple type of tap connector is disclosed. The main line is secured to plate like body by a bolted down cap plate. The tap lines are connected to the plate by passing through a bell-shaped socket and having a malleable sleeve crimped onto the end extending out of the socket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,449 a connector is disclosed that consists of a C-shaped member and a wedge that is forced into channel C-shaped member with the main line trapped in a chanel between the wedge and one end of the C-shaped member and the tap line trapped in a channel at the other end.
Like devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,257,499; 3,349,167 and 3,462,543.
In the aforementioned patents which are generally concerned with connecting a smaller or tap line to a large or main power distribution line, the cables must be stripped of insulation and further, the power must be interrupted or the installer must be protected and must use special devices adapted to permit them to work at a distance remote from the work site; e.g., a grip-all clampstick.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly which electrically connects two cables together in an insulation body without the need to strip the cable insulation or to interrupt the current flowing through one of the cables.